BROHDEAD — The Cardinals had the state’s top team on the ropes June 8. Had Brodhead been victorious against unbeaten D2 No. 1 Jefferson, the Cardinals would have clinched a share of the Rock Valley title. Instead, the visiting Eagles scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to win 4-2, ending Brodhead’s winning streak at 15 games.
“When you’re facing a team like Jefferson, you can’t make mistakes — and we made a couple of mistakes,” Brodhead coach Steve Krupke said. His team committed six errors in the contest and were outhit 8-5. Those couple of mistakes cost us. This is one of the best teams in the state and we battled with them. A couple things go our way, (and) we could have won that game. I’m not saying we should have won, but we could have won if we catch a break.”
The game had almost every possible element in it — a pitcher’s duel, a booming home run by a future NCAA hitter, a 30-minute lightning delay, excessive heat and an ejection.
Jefferson broke the scoreless game in the third on an error fielding a ball in the outfield. The Eagles made it 2-0 in the top of the seventh, getting a runner on via an error, a steal of second and a single to the outfield.
Brodhead brought its 4-5-6 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Taetum Hoesly singled to left on the first pitch of the frame, but Cora Hafen and Bailey Matthys both got out in short order. Alexis Kammerer stepped up to keep things alive, singling to left on the first pitch she saw. Six pitches later on a 2-2 count, Nataley Bump slapped a single to left to load the bases.
Claire Beck, the team’s ace that will play at UW-Eau Claire next spring, appeared a bit fatigued and flustered but got out ahead of Keira Malott 0-2 before throwing four straight balls and walking in a run. Sophia Leitzen then went seven pitches deep in her at bat, also drawing a walk that tied the game.
“Leitzen is a freshman. If I’m up, 3-2 (count), bases loaded — how hard is it for anyone to take a pitch? But she did,” Krupke said.
Madisyn Kail struck out to end the threat, but the Cardinals had bought themselves another inning.
In the top of the eighth, Savannah Serdynski singled on the first pitch she saw from Brodhead’s McKenna Young, who then struck out Brittney Mengel, who is headed to the University of Minnesota-Crookston next season. Eden Dempsey, a future Wisconsin Badger, then battled a full count and launched a 2-run home run over the wall in right center.
Young, appearing exhausted in the heat, stepped out of the pitchers’ circle to clear her head and re-focus on the next batter, who then reached on an error. Young then struck out back-to-back hitters to close the frame.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Cardinals’ 3-4-5 hitters (Young, Hoesly and Hafen) went down in order to end the game.
Krupke himself had been ejected in the bottom of the fifth. After seeing multiple borderline pitches go against his players, he raised his voice from disgruntled murmur to his dugout to a direct tone at the umpire.
The girl who hit it out in the eighth is going to the Badgers, and you don’t go to the Badgers if you are not good. McKenna kept us in the game. She was unreal. She’s something special. The rest of the kids just don’t quit.Steve Krupke, Brodhead coach
“Blue, I have to stick up for my player — that pitch hasn’t been a strike all day,” Krupke said as Malott had watched a pitch at her eyes called for strike one. The home plate umpire immediately ejected Krupke without a warning, and the Cardinals’ coach slowly collected his items from the dugout to leave the field.
“I got tossed and I don’t regret it, because I wanted to do it for my team and let them know that I have their backs,” Krupke said after the game.
Young struck out 15 and walked five, and just two runs against her were earned. Beck struck out 11 and walked three. Both pitchers also hit a batter. Hoesly was 3-for-4 for Brodhead. Leitzen walked twice.
“The girl who hit it out in the eighth is going to the Badgers, and you don’t go to the Badgers if you are not good. McKenna kept us in the game. She was unreal. She’s something special. The rest of the kids just don’t quit,” Krupke said.
Brodhead opens the postseason June 14 at home against Lancaster. The winner gets either Dodgeville or Viroqua-Youth Initiative June 16.
“Softball is hard enough as it is. High school girls can come out flat and any team can beat you. But that said, if our girls come out the way they did today,” Krupke said, they can play with anyone.
